


Sides

by GoddessofBirth



Series: guardian!verse [3]
Category: Firefly
Genre: Dark, F/M, Insanity, Violence, psychotic love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-13
Updated: 2012-05-13
Packaged: 2017-11-05 06:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/403382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoddessofBirth/pseuds/GoddessofBirth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the end, it happens when Jayne is off ship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sides

In the end, it happens when he's off ship, buying supplies and using his 'scary man' discount. His comm unit beeps, and then for a minute all he hears are panicked screams and metal clanging and gun shots. Then Mal's voice yells ' _Jayne, get back here NOW_!' and he knows...knows she's flipped the coin when he wasn't looking.

 

He drops everything in his hands, ignoring the indignant screech of the shop keeper as he sprints across the dockyard, up  _Serenity's_ ramp, and into a war zone. 

 

Zoe's down, but she's moving, so he thinks it might not be fatal. Kaylee's cowering in a corner, and he catches her eye and jerks his head toward the outside. She shakes her head frantically, darting a look at the whirling maelstrom in the middle of the room before shrinking further into the wall.

 

River. Glorious, insane, Valkyrie River is doing a dance of blood and fire, a pistol in one hand and a baton in the other. She's twirling between Simon, clutching a bleeding stomach wound, and Mal, who can't get off a clear shot from the gun in his hand, because she's dodging around crates and beams. Inara is watching in horror from the catwalk, ignoring Mal's shouts at her to leave as she tries, even now, to reason River down.

 

Jayne un-sheaths Binky and holds the knife hidden behind his back, while he stretches the other hand, palm out, in front of him. He approaches slow, one foot in front of the other, as visions and images flicker back and forth in his mind.

 

_River's fist blacking his eye....River naked and panting against him...River's knee slamming into his gut...River clenching around him as she shudders and comes...Her hand with a knife, slicing open his chest...Her slight, almost shy smile as she silently thanks him for keeping her together once more._

 

'River,' he calls cautiously, catching her attention, 'this ain't what you wanna be doin', girl.'

 

She flips to face him, and out of the corner of his eye he sees Mal back away, take a path toward the stairs.

 

Her eyes are blank, and her voice singsongs eerily as she answers him. 'Game's over, Jayne, auditions done. Time for the performance now.'

 

He keeps his hand outstretched, all the while tightening his grip on his blade, all the while seeing these dueling pictures clouding up his eyesight. 'Come on, girl. You an' I can settle this 'tween ourselves. Ain't no need to hurt anybody else. Look, you done got Kaylee all scared.'

 

He stands steady as she tilts her head and studies him, flicks her eyes between the crew and him, between his hand and her weapons. He sees her shoulders un-tense, and she takes a shifting step toward him and -

 

And then her brother - her stupid, dumbass, gorram brother - opens his fucking mouth.

 

' _Mei mei_ ,' he calls, 'come here. Let me give you something to help you.'

 

In an instant, she snaps back to attention, hurls the baton in her hand with deadly accuracy and force. It catches Simon across the knees, and Jayne is sure he hears something break as Simon howls and collapses and River screams ' _Betrayer!'_

 

A movement catches Jayne's attention, and he sees that Mal has used his distraction to position himself on the stairs, his line of sight now clear and unfettered as he aims his pistol at River's head. He gives Jayne a meaningful look as he cocks the gun and his finger tightens on the trigger.

 

He doesn't even thing about it, doesn't even ponder his actions as he throws himself in front of River's body, simultaneously bellowing _No!_ at Mal and letting Binky fly, its blade embedding itself deep in Mal's shooting shoulder.

 

And just like that, he's chosen sides.


End file.
